hey guys.
changed my leads tonight, but still have a rough idle and un-even spark if i earth the leads on the extractors.
im almost possitive theres a build up on my coilpack terminals, and want to remvove it to check them and clean them properly.
just wondering if there is any way to remove the coilpack without removing the inlet manifold....
thanks!

Socket + flexible 1/4" extension + ratchet/screwdriver is the easiest way I have found to do it.

It is a bit of a prick. Need to have little girly arms to do it from above. Or go at it from below the car. A good set of extensions helps to go down through the manifold. Remove the Airbox to make life easy, but you've probably already figured that out to do the leads.

Don't jump straight on the coil though. I had a very bad idle, erratic spark and missing on 3 cylinders (4,5,6). Turned out it was a gunked up Crank Angle Sensor. Remove the sensor (7mm bolts) and you will probably find crap as hard as concrete interfering with the signal. Sand it off, degrese and reinstall. Reset ECU (disconnect Battery while removing CAS). Then follow this reset proceedure:

Instructions from the EF & EL Workshop Manual:

Any time the battery is disconnected, the transmission must re-learn the closed and wide-open throttle positions to enable the PCM to determine the proper gear to select for the appropriate throttle position. If the calibration is not performed following power source interruption, the transmission will shift hard and perform poorly from then on.

So to calibrate as follows:

First of all drive the car to normal engine temp and the thermostat has opened etc
Then to verify the correct idle speed of the engine the following 4 steps should be taken with the vehicle being idled while stationary for approx 1-2 minute in each of the following conditions.
NOTE- DO NOT TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR DURING ANY PERIOD OF THE 5 FOLLOWING ADAPTIVE PROCESSES.

1. Neutral with all electrical loads OFF.
2. Neutral with Air conditioning ON.
3. Drive with all electrical loads OFF.
4. Drive with Air conditioning ON.

After all this has been done then proceed to go on and to do these steps which actually set the TPS values;

5. To set the closed throttle referance position , place the transmission
in Drive, Air con off, and let the engine idle for a minimum of 1 minute.
6. Next, set the wide-open throttle reference position by turning the
engine off- but leave the ignition switch to the "ON," position, ie;Idiot lights on etc, then press the accelerator
pedal to the floor and hold it their for 1 minute, minimum.
7. Then Place the gear selector to Park and switch off the ignition.
8. Drive the vehicle and check for proper shifting patterns.

Thanks go to RMACK from ford forums for this.

I now have a super smooth idle with no miss.

cheers
Scott

How many K's on the EF? if it has over 200,000km on it, just replace it anyway. I remember replacing those coil packs under warranty at only 60 to 80,000km.

car has 220K.
i'll try this reset thing with the CAS.
will this affect my unichip settings?

Nah. Unichip is a plug in module right? It will be just like when you first got it.

cheers
Scott

[quote="MacGyver"]It is a bit of a prick. Need to have little girly arms to do it from above. Or go at it from below the car. A good set of extensions helps to go down through the manifold. Remove the Airbox to make life easy, but you've probably already figured that out to do the leads.

Don't jump straight on the coil though. I had a very bad idle, erratic spark and missing on 3 cylinders (4,5,6). Turned out it was a gunked up Crank Angle Sensor. Remove the sensor (7mm bolts) and you will probably find crap as hard as concrete interfering with the signal. Sand it off, degrese and reinstall. Reset ECU (disconnect Battery while removing CAS).

where would i find the crank angle sensor
Craig

its just above the crank. all you see is the 2 small bolts.

my CAS looks virtually new... cleaned it anyway, reset ECU and no change.
spewin

Hey Scott, thanks for the step by step run through.

Mine has had a bit of a miss for a while then yesterday out of the blue it s**t itself and is now only running a cylinder or 2 short.

I thought coil pack at first but I'll give the CAS a clean too. I'm guessing it probably is the coil packs tho becuase the CAS wouldn't suddenly just stop working like that. Or would it ?

I'm getting bugger all spark on 1 2 and 3, altho I think the coil pack is made up of 3 coils running 2 leads each, so something doesnt add up...

This is how it's running now, sounds cool but the lack of power and rattles aren't good

http://www.coresworld.net/hyena/bustedengine.wmv

That discounts the coil pack as 1 and 6, 2 and 5 and 3 and 4 share a coil. So if it's the coil pack then reason would suggest that 1 and 6 would miss together, etc.

This was what lead me to the CAS.

cheers
Scott

I just had a look and I can't see it clearly, I'm guessing its behind the 'flap' that has the wires going behind it ?



Anything holding that flap in or can you just yank it out ? I'm guessing I'll probably have to take the belt off and bend the tensioner up out of the way ?

Have you risen from the dead hyena?

Indeed I have my son!

Good to see ya back.....

I've been back from the dead for months Just been busy with a new house so haven't had much time for messing with the car.

Macgyver, I got the sensor out (it was hiding under the belt) but it's just a solid unit ?? Like a black plastic barrel with a metal core. Does this mean mines clean or should I be looking for something else ?

I was hoping to find a shagged CAS given it doesn't look like the coil packs.
What else could cause the first 3 cylinders to stop firing ?